Post Session :: October 14, 2014

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

HB 91, PN 4289 (Evankovich)-Amends the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, further providing for educational improvement tax credit; and repealing provisions relating to educational opportunity scholarship tax credit; and, in city revitalization and improvement zones, further providing for definitions. Amendment # 10362 was offered by Senator Argall which makes technical changes to the CRIZ language. The amendment was agreed to. The bill went over in its order as amended.

HB 402, PN 3881 (Pickett)-Creates the “Recording of Surrender Documents from Oil and Natural Gas Lease Act” to require surrender documents upon termination, cancellation or expiration of a lease. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

SB 1268, PN 2371 (Eichelberger)-Regulates navigators and assisters in the education and promotion of health insurance exchanges. A vote of 27-22 was recorded.

SB 1302, PN 2368(Folmer)-Amends Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) in creation, alteration and termination of planned communities, further providing for voting and proxies. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

SB 1491, PN 2357 (Erickson)-Amends the Cemetery and Funeral Merchandise Trust Fund Law. Amendment # 10293 was offered by Senator Tomlinson which removes the requirement of the seller to post a surety bond in the amount of 30% of the sale price. The amendment was approved on a vote of 44-5. The bill went over in its order as amended.

HB 1565, PN 4258 (Hahn)-Amends the Clean Streams Law so that riparian buffers are optional and not mandatory. A vote of 27-22 was recorded.

HB 1567, PN 3126(Scavello)–Requiring health care facilities to disseminate information relating to pertussis education; and imposing a duty on the Department of Health. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

HB 1846, PN 3904 (Quinn)-Amends the Workers’ Compensation Act to reform the practice of drug dispensing by physicians and outpatient providers within the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation system, and provides for an annual study. Senator Baker offered amendment # A10387 which provides additional dispensing of drugs in the event of surgery and limits reimbursement to one health care provider for the same claim. The amendment was approved on a vote of 47-2. Senator Browne offered amendment #A10446 which was technical in nature and was approved on a vote of 49-0. Senator McIlhinney offered amendment # A09932 which prohibits pharmacies from delivering by mail. The amendment failed on a vote of 21-28. Senator McIlhinney offered amendment # A10369 which lowers the reimbursement rate for drugs and pharmaceutical services. The amendment failed on a vote of 11-37. Senator McIlhinny offered amendment # A09933 which prohibits insurer owned pharmacies from seeking reimbursement for dispensed drugs. The amendment failed on a vote of 21-28. Senator Tartaglione offered amendment # A 09990 which subjects the employer or insurer to penalties for untimely payments. The amendment failed on a vote of 16-33. Senator Tartaglione offered amendment A09996 which limits doctors to reimbursement to 15 day and thirty day supply of certain scheduled drugs. The amendment failed on a vote of 16-33. Senator Costa offered amendment # A10238 which allows an employee to file a civil action for an employer refusing to make a reimbursement. The amendment failed on a vote of 24-25. Senator Costa offered amendment # A10273 which removes the twenty day reimbursement limitation for certain dispensed drugs. The amendment failed on a vote of 10-39. The bill went over in its order as amended.

HB 1874, PN 4272 (Farry)-Amends the Judicial Code (Title 42) to require that a provider of counseling services to sexually violent predators must notify law enforcement of the provision of the services. Amendment # A 10388 was offered by Senator Scarnati which makes technical in nature. The amendment was agreed to. The bill went over in its order as amended.

HB 1907, PN 3334 (Saylor)-Requires a hospital to provide notice to a patient of the patient’s outpatient status, and the impact of the outpatient status on insurance coverage. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

HB 2120, PN 4257 (Masser)-Amends Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in neighborhood blight and reclamation and revitalization, further providing for definitions, for asset attachment, for duty of out-of-State owners of property in this Commonwealth and for duty of association and trust owners. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

SR 430, PN 2383(Greenleaf)-Urging the President and the Congress of the United States to publicly denounce the crimes against humanity occurring in Iraq and to take prudent action to protect Iraqi Christians and other religious minorities from persecution from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The resolution was adopted by unanimous vote.

HB 2354, PN 4290(Snyder) Requires the Department of Environmental Protection to receive consideration and endorsement or disapproval by the General Assembly for a State plan to regulate carbon dioxide emissions for existing stationary sources prior to submitting the State plan to the United States Environmental Protection Agency for approval. A motion by Senator Vance to revert to prior printer #3898 was offered. The motion carried on a vote of 29-20. The Senate agreed to consider the bill on prior printer # 3898.

A motion to continue debate past 11p.m was made by Senator Pileggi. Senator Costa moved to recess per Senate rules (Rule 11). The motion to recess failed on a party line vote of 27-23. The motion to consider debate past 11 p.m. carried by a vote of 25-24.

SB 27, PN 2369 (Mensch)-Amends Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in child protective services, further providing for exchange of information. A vote of 49-0 was recorded.

The Senate approved the following executive nominations by a vote of 49-0